Why do I love you?
by Kiira13
Summary: The defeat of an old enemy is just what it takes for two companions to realise how much they love each other. One-shot, rated T for violence and well... Zevran. Comments and critiques would be great!


**Why Do I Love You?**

I couldn't say exactly what it was that made him so appealing to me.

It might have been the glittering amber eyes that always watched me, occasionally winking when I caught his eye. It could have been the slender limbs that moved with feline grace, whether simply walking along the track, or thrusting a dagger through an enemy's spine. The smooth, subtly accented voice. The perfect, undying confidence. Or maybe just the fact that he was so utterly dangerous and unpredictable.

I know that some may think that I was just so overjoyed to be travelling with another of my own kin, rather than this endless stream of shemlen. But he could have been a dwarf for all I cared. Ever since that very first battle, the very first word, the very first touch... I would have done anything for him.

Zevran, Zevran, Zevran, Zevran, Zevran. Even his name sent shivers down my spine.

Not that I would ever say any of this to his face, I was Dalish, any emotion of this kind was foreign to me. Not to mention that all of my other companions would have been ten times happier if an assassin hadn't become part of our little Blight-ending troupe.

I could never have the courage to tell him exactly how I felt. After all, he was an Antivan Crow. I was positive that he'd been with who knows how many dozens of other women during his life, he would laugh me away. I was sure of it.

Until the day we killed Taliesen.

Xx...xX

I spent weeks trying to convince myself that she meant nothing to me.

She spared my life, I was in her debt. End of story. While I travelled with her I would be my usual charming self, kill her enemies, pick any locks, and perhaps warm her bed... But that was all. I thought she would have been a whole lot more suspicious and wary of me, I was an assassin after all, and on the whole rather more resistant to my suggestive remarks. When I commented on her beauty, she smiled. When I touched her hand, she did not shy away.

At the time I was overjoyed, I thought that I might be invited to her tent yet. But nothing came of it, and this was a new experience for me. I was so used to women falling at my feet for my seductive elegance, but she was completely immune.

And this drew me to her. Suddenly it wasn't her body that was my main interest. I wanted to know her. I longed to go inside of her head, find out what caused this smile, that furrow on her brow. Every sentence she spoke provided a small insight into her soul, and I revelled in it. She was Elisarae, a Dalish hunter. So strong and confident and beautiful.

I wanted to know everything about her, every tiny detail of her existence, of course her body was included in that, but this was different from any other experience. I knew that it wasn't all about what she was like in bed; that was just a minor detail.

I had never felt like this before, well maybe once... but this was something _more_. But why would she want me, I was an Antivan Crow. A smooth-talking womanizer. A night together was all that she would ever hope to get from me. And I knew that I would never be able to convince her otherwise.

Until the day we killed Taliesen.

Xx...xX

Walking through the dirty back alleys of Denerim was strangely frightening for me. These dingy hovels and grime covered streets were so utterly dreary and depressing, I was longing for the tree lined forest paths that my clan and I had wandered in our Aravels. Our travels in the Brecilian Forest had been like returning home again, it was one of the hardest things I had ever had to do to leave it, especially with the knowledge that I would soon be returning to filthy shem-infested cities once we departed.

But Zevran looked so at home here. He could hardly keep the grin off his face as we entered the market district for the first time. He breathed the stench in deeply, utterly relaxed. I remember thinking that once we were through with our mission I would have to take him back to my clan to teach him the proper ways of the elvhen, but then I slapped myself internally. Assuming that we did survive this Blight, which was doubtful, he would never come with me. He would run back to Antiva, or some other remote corner of Thedas to hide from the Crows.

But the thought had taken root in my brain. I imagined walking through a silent forest, watching the birds flutter through the trees, stepping over the sun-dappled earth. My assassin and me.

I tried to shake the thought away, but it visited me in my dreams. And I realised that this was much more than just friendship to me, but it would never be such for him as well.

I sighed out loud, and a soft voice came from beside me, "What is troubling you my dear Warden?"

Zevran was walking five inches away from me, his amber eyes glinting in the pale sunlight.

"Are you contemplating our impending doom, or just how wonderfully dirty this street is?"

He gestured grandly at the filthy cobbled street that we were walking along.

"It's nothing, just thinking."

"Ah, nothing like the stench of a Fereldan alley to boost your brainpower."

I laughed softly at his complete nonchalance. We turned a corner and started to climb a set of stone-block stairs when a man stepped out of the shadows.

"So I heard the mighty Zevran had been conquered, but I scarcely believed it."

Zevran froze and his tanned skin paled. "Taliesen." He hissed.

"So for the first time in your life you lost a fight, I never would have thought it possible."

"Well there's the first time for everything." Zevran's voice was flat and cold, with no hint of emotion and a very dangerous sounding edge.

Suddenly Taliesen walked closer towards us and reached out his hand. "Come back with me Zevran, we can make up a story, any story. We'll finish the contract and go back to Antiva together."

Zevran's eyes flashed and he snarled "I'll never let you hurt her."

My heart seemed to swell to three times its normal size. He did care for me. He wanted me. I felt strangely buoyant, despite the immediate danger that was surrounding us on all sides.

"You've gone soft!" Taliesen sounded disgusted. He took a few steps closer, he was right in front of us now.

"I knew there was something strange going on when we couldn't find your body."

His eyes flicked towards me "Always the sucker for the pretty ones." He reached out his hand and ran a finger down my cheekbone.

It all happened very quickly then.

My hand snapped up and yanked his hand away from my face with such force that it broke three of his fingers at exactly the same moment that Zevran swung his foot around to connect with Taliesen's knee with a very audible snap. Then I threw myself out of the way of the volley of crossbow bolts that flew through the air where I had been standing just seconds ago.

The assassins sprang from their hiding places in the shadows and ran towards our party, daggers glistening with poison.

Alistair threw himself into the fray, sword swinging and shield at the ready. Morrigan immediately froze three of the archers, drained the life-force of a fourth and hit a dagger-wielding assassin straight in the chest with a lightning bolt.

I pulled my bow off my back and began loosing arrows into the throng of writhing bodies. Every arrow I pulled from my quiver was the death warrant for one of our attackers. My aim was perfect as I rained death onto the street.

But Zevran's movements were pure poetry. He struck with the deadly grace of a cobra, ducking and weaving through the battle with as much substance as a wisp of smoke. He sliced through necks and spines like they were made of paper, and left only corpses in his wake.

At last all the assailants lay dead, except for one. I lowered my bow and walked over to the crippled and bleeding assassin lying on the stairs, Zevran at my side.

"They'll know it was you, Zevran. You'll be hunted all your life." He choked.

"Oh, I don't know about that. What if I just burn your bodies? The Crows will assume my corpse is there with yours."

He turned away from the man at his feet and called out "Alistair, pile up the bodies."

He gave a curt nod and started to kick and shove the corpses to the middle of the street.

I noticed Taliesen trying to haul himself away from us, so I lifted my bow and sent an arrow through his good leg, pinning him to the ground. "Stay put now." I whispered.

Once there was a pile of bloodied bodies lying on the cobbles, Morrigan sent a ball of flame from her staff and the corpses burst into flame.

"Are you going to kill me now Zevran?" Taliesen murmured, "Or will you give me a chance to run?"

"And who said anything about killing you, my dear friend?"

For a moment Taliesen's eyes glimmered with hope, but were then replaced with cold terror as Zevran said "Warden, could you help me get him to the fire?"

I set down my bow and ripped the arrow out of his leg. He screamed in agony, a scream that increased in volume and intensity as I roughly grabbed both of his legs and heaved him into the air, Zevran holding his arms. He writhed and wriggled in our grip screaming "NO, NO, NO, NO!"

Together we hurled him into the inferno of the corpses, and watched with morbid satisfaction as his body burned.

Xx...xX

A few days later I was standing by our campfire, watching the flames send sparks into the night sky.

I heard footsteps approaching me, and looked around to see Zevran standing by my side.

"Walk with me, Warden." His voice sounded different, huskier somehow.

I followed him away from the main part of our campsite, into a shadowy corner of the clearing, well away from the rest of our companions.

Once he stopped, he spun around and thrust his hand towards me, dropping a small object into my palm.

"Is this an earring?" I asked

"Yes it is. One of my first targets when I was with the Crows was a wealthy merchant, when I killed him he was wearing this – and not much else if I recall – so I took it and now I want to give it to you."

"Why?" I murmured softly, staring at the gold circle in my hands.

"I suppose it's to say... thank you. With Taliesen dead now I do not have the threat of the Crows hanging above my head, I am free to live my life. Feel free to wear it, or sell it, whatever, just... thank you."

"Why would I sell it?" I hooked the gold circlet through my earlobe.

"Beautiful." He smiled at me.

We stood together in silence for a while before he opened his mouth once again.

"Elisarae, I was just wondering what will become of me once the Blight is over, assuming of course that we are still alive at that point."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I swore an oath to serve you, but once that is over what do you intend to do with me?"

"Well I suppose that's up to you." I was trying not to let any panic enter my voice.

"I suppose I could travel, keep the Crows off my tracks. But..."

"What?"

"What if I asked if I could stay with you?"

"I could always use a friend." I smiled up at him.

"And... what if I wanted to be more than friends?" He reached out and stroked one of the lines of my tattoo.

"I'd like that." I took his other hand in mine and squeezed it gently.

He lifted our intertwined hands up to my face; my head was framed by his slender hands. He lowered his head slowly towards me, and our foreheads touched.

"Elisarae." He whispered.

"Yes?" I sighed.

His amber eyes stared straight into my green ones.

"I love you."

And our lips met.


End file.
